Title - Cold disrupts rail, air services in Bihar

The cold wave sweeping Bihar disrupted rail and air services, including the flight of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar from Delhi, today.No flight landed at Jayprakash Narayan airport, Patna till late afternoon due to low visibility because of foggy condition, airport sources said.Sources in Air Traffic Arrangement said that visibility of upto 1600 metre is required for normal running of flights, but it was only 500 metre today.The plane carrying Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was returning to Patna from Delhi after attending National Development Council meeting yesterday, could not arrive till evening, the sources said. Running of many trains from Delhi to North Bihar were affected due to foggy condition.Sources in East Central Railway (ECR) said that running of UP and DOWN 12873 and 12874 Hatia- Anandvihar Swaranjanti Express have been cancelled till February 18 next year.Similarly, Anandvihar-Sitamarhi Licchvi Express has been suspended till February 17 and UP and DN Janata Express have been cancelled till February 19.State's Disaster Management Department has made arrangement of bonfire in shelters for poor and at bus stands in the state.Met department Director A K Sen said the cold wave would remain till January one.He said that Gaya remained the coldest place in the state today with minimum temperature recorded at 4.4 degrees celsius.Patna saw the minimum temperature dip to 8.5 degrees celsius today, Sen said.According to unconfirmed reports, 18 people have died due to cold in the state so far.